Typical ejection ramps are provided on a round baler so that bales roll down the ramp and away from the baler, but do not operate so as to offer a positive holdback of such bales to keep them from rolling back into the gate.
More recent and complex ramps include extensions on the ramp device that return to the home position to prop the bale away from the baler gate. These devices are represented by those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,901; U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,632; US 20040020376 and US 20050257513. However, these are only effective if the ramp returns to home prior to the discharge gate closing, or if the ramp is powerful enough to move the bale away if the bale is not clearing the baler gate.
While the device disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,901 includes a mechanical/hydraulic plunger valve to sense that the ramp is in the home position before closing the gate, this structure is costly and unreliable due to the dirty environment in which it operates, as well as creating additional mechanical mating parts on the ramp.
Therefore, the problem to be solved is to provide an effective, reliable, relatively inexpensive device for timing the operation of an ejection device so as to keep a discharged bale away from the discharge gate until the latter is closed.